About WHO Department of Global Capacities Alert and Response (GCR)

International Health Regulations implementation

Health Laboratory Strengthening

Under the revised IHR, countries are required to
develop the capacity to detect, investigate and
report to the international community through
WHO, potential public health emergencies of
international concern, such as disease outbreaks.
A credible and accessible laboratory
service capable of producing reliable results in a
timely manner is a cornerstone of any country's
capacity to investigate such events.

Although in recent years there have been significant
advances in laboratory capacity, in many
countries reliable confirmation of suspected
infectious diseases is hindered by a lack of
standardized methods, sufficient funds, suitably
trained staff and laboratory supplies.